Halcyon Days
by AnimeAddiction0-0
Summary: This this a story about the events that followed the very last scene of the movie, and the ones that occurred during the days when Taki and Mitsuha stilled frequently exchanged bodies. It's a story where the intertwined hearts of our two beloved characters react with one another as they tasted the various flavors of each other's lives.
1. A Nostalgic First Meeting

Chapter 1: A Nostalgic First Meeting

 **Disclaimers** : I do not own Kimi no Na Wa (You're Name), it belongs the Shinkai Makoto and his crew who deserve every bit of success this film has enjoyed.

 **Author's Note** : First, for those of you unfortunate enough to actually follow me as an author on , I must offer you my sincere apologies. It's been roughly, what, two years and a few months since I uploaded anything. I know I did promise to 'squeeze out time' for stories, or rather Killing Spree, when I uploaded my last chapter. But I was wrong. I am a procrastinating bitch that never uses time in a productive way. I got my assed kicked by high school math, and I am less than 100 days away from my college entrance exam. So, by all means and purposes, I should be burying myself in books instead of writing a fanfiction on the internet. The only reason that I'm doing this is because Kimi no Na Wa is, in my opinion, the best anime movie I've watched in years. **For those of you who haven't watched the movie, please go watch it.** This is basically one huge spoiler and I do NOT want to spoil this amazing movie for any of you, unless you have no intention of watching it, in that case I don't know why you're here. So, yeah, that's about it. Enjoy and review!

Taki rested his elbow on the windowsill of his small, cozy room, gazing absentmindedly at the sky dyed red by the setting sun. The towering jungle of skyscrapers stood tall and proud on the edge of the horizon as it boasted its prosperity for the world to see. Strangely, however, what came to mind upon seeing this seemingly common sight was not the sunset of Tokyo, but that of a small, countryside town raveled loosely around a crystal-clear lake. It had been a miniscule town buried deep within the embraces of looming mountains, with trains coming every two hours during the weekdays. It was a place that once hosted a population of a few thousands, but was now deserted of human presence after the devastation it suffered five years ago. It was a weird place that for reasons unknown, held a faint, yet stubborn place in Taki's heart since he learned of the borderline fantasy disaster that occurred in the village. Itomori, as it had been previously called, was struck by fragments of a comet as it bypassed earth on its 1200 year orbit around the sun. Yet, that wasn't where the story ended, for things took an even more bizarre turn. To the disbelief of every news station, every scientist, practically everyone that watched TV nowadays, even those who lived in Itomori itself, there were no deaths that resulted from the impact, despite it striking the town dead center. This miraculous event was preceded by a number of other unusual occurrences, such as the power plant erupting in flames, the town broadcasting system being hijacked by a local student, et cetera. If Taki hadn't seen the comet streaking across the sky with his own eyes, and the fact that Itomori was indeed rendered inhabitable, he would've just deemed this story another attempt at gaining public attention to boost local economy and the norm.

Spurred by what he later dismissed as the curious drive of a high school student, he actually went to the site of the crash himself, accompanied by Tsukasa, a friend of his, and Okudera, a fellow worker at the part time job he worked on. According the two of them, he was 'fanatic' and 'like a madman' when it came to Itomori, though he couldn't quite recall the trip in fine detail. He did remember pouring over old texts and books searching for snippets of information concerning the town, and he also had several hand drawn sketches of the place just to prove how utterly obsessed he was. Thinking of the nights he spent staying up reading yellowed newspapers and 50 year old records, Taki couldn't help but let a small smile spread across his lips.

Five years later, whatever urge he had at that time had long since dispersed. With graduation, and college, and then the morbid pain of job-hunting crushing the air out of his lungs, Taki could safely say that Itomori was just a fond memory that he would sometime mull over in his spare time.

That was the case, until 10 hours ago.

There he was, taking the subway to one of his potential employers for the third interview they held. Taki was honestly astonished he had made it this far, seeing as most companies have a number of arranged candidates, and he was determined not to screw this up. At that particular moment, he was pressed hard against the glass door in a quite uncomfortable position that had another person's briefcase digging into this thigh. Shooting a reproaching glare at the oblivious man, he sighed and turned his gaze back at the scenery flying by outside. People say global warming is a fraud, but just looking at the dazzling sunlight shining on the tracks made Taki dread the moment he stepped outside the cool train compartment. He then turned his eyes to the magnificent buildings that towered above the ground and the lush green patches of trees and grass where people exercise and picnic. He wanted to be a city designer, a person that brings out the best of the city for the world to admire, a job where he can help create things that will be forever engraved into the memories' of people. It was something he had never considered before his last year of high school, around the time his Itomori frenzy just about faded. He knew it was highly demanding job with even more demanding requirements, and he also knew that there were preciously few open spots, especially for a greenhorn fresh out of college like himself. For a brief period of time, he contemplated the option of starting a firm of his own and promptly threw the idea into the bin labelled 'impractical fantasies'. He had neither the money nor the resources to make such a risky attempt. Besides, a few companies have shown genuine interest in him, not just the usual 'we know you're an aspiring young man' stuff they say to make you feel not so discouraged. Yes, he was going to get employed, and he was going to transform this city into a place people can arrive and gaze up in awe, a place where people can brag to their foreign friends for its unprecedented beauty.

' _I am honored to be here, and I am flattered that you have chosen me to be one of your final candidates_ ', he thought to himself quietly as the train gradually slowed as it approached its next stop, ' _If I were given the chance to work for your company..._ "

It was a very peculiar feeling, really. That gentle, yet firm tug at your heartstrings, and the irresistible feeling to step closer flooded his thoughts in that instant as their eyes met through the glass doors of two separate trains. Her young pronounced visage, her dark irises that glittered softly in the light, and that thin red strap that was fastened loosely on those sleek black tresses made a vortex of jumbled emotions surge through Taki's blank mind. Joy, sadness, surprise, shock, depression, most prominently, a heart-clenching wave of nostalgia tightly gripped Taki like a vice, urging him, screaming at him to meet her, get closer to her, talk to her.

Then, the doors opened.

As if in sync, both the Taki and the girl took off, earning them concerned looks from those around them. Taki weaved through the thick crowd, muttering words of apology to those he bumped into as he raced toward the exit. He had no idea what he was doing, he had idea who the girl was, and he was fully aware that he had no time for detours if he wanted to make it to the interview on time. Except at that moment, he really didn't care. Compared to the voice shouting at him to find her as if his life depended on it, those worries were really nothing more than nagging whispers at the back of his head.

He hastily took out his subway ticket and pressed it hard on the sensing board of the exit gate, it slid open almost excruciatingly slowly, and he resumed his sprint at breakneck speed.

' _Her train is on the opposite platform, I should be able to meet her if I go around the station_ ', Taki thought to himself, doing his best not to knock anyone over while swerving around the corner. Despite that, he still ran headfirst into a man who stumbled back slightly when Taki crashed into him.

"Hey! Watch it!" an irritated voice spoke behind Taki, who was already dashing down the street.

"Sorry!" Taki replied without even turning his head to see who it was he offended. The anxiety of meeting the girl, and the fear that he would miss her bubbled frantically within him. Just another turn, just another few meters and he would arrive at the back of the station. Taki ran as fast as his feet would carry him, and finally he made the last turn around the station.

Then he was met with an enormous crowd slowly flowing in and out of the exits. His eyes scanned through the hundreds of people, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl he so wanted to meet. Five seconds passed, and he saw no sign of her. A sense of dread and hopelessness settled in, and he felt his legs go weak. If he knew her name, he would be able to call out for her. If he knew her name, he would be able to shout it at the top of his lungs so that she knew he was there.

' _What is your name? What is your name?_ " Images flashed through his head. A town. People. A small bottle of sake. His hand. Words written on his hand. Her name! Her name was written on his hand!

What was it? The image disappeared too quickly for him to see. Taki staggered through the crowd, one hand gripping his skull where a stabbing headache gradually grew. His eyes flitted randomly through the groups of people and there, he spotted a thin red ribbon bobbing down a flight of stairs leading away from the station.

Instinctively, he chased after it. Squeezing through bands of human bodies and invoking several indignantly remarks, he finally managed to get to the stairs, just in time to see her take another turn. For a fleeting second, he saw her face. It was filled with anxiety and dejection, but nonetheless beautiful and frustratingly familiar. Taki ignored the burn in his feet and lungs and continued his pursuit after the girl, who so happened to be also running at full speed, making Taki's task more difficult.

He ran and ran, shortening the distance between them during long straight stretches and falling behind again when the girl made a sharp turn. Still, bit by bit, he gained on the girl, until they were only a few meters away. Close enough, apparently, for the girl to realize that Taki was behind her.

She stood at the very top step of a long flight of stairs, and Taki stood at the bottom, gazing up at her. There it was again, the persistent feeling that somewhere, sometime ago, they had met. It was like the sight of her unlocked a hidden cabinet of memories stashed in the depth of his mind. Memories that prior to this moment, he never knew existed.

Theirs eyes only met for a brief seconds before being blurred to tears that came surging out uncontrollably, and they slowly took a few steps toward each other.

A long pregnant pause permeated the space between them as they each fumbled with their choice of words. What were the first words you say to a person who you're certain you've met, but don't recall meeting anyways?

"Well..." Taki started awkwardly, looking away bashfully. "Do you think we've met before?"

The few seconds of silence that ensued were like torturous years to Taki.

"Yes, I think we certainly have" the girl answered with a subtle smile.

After that, there was one thing they both knew they had to do.

Both of their lips parted, and in unison they spoke the very same words.

"What is your name?"

Author's Note: You've made it! Somehow you've endured my writing and made it to the end! This is probably going to last a few chapters at most since, like I explained at the beginning, I am literally _this_ close to my college exams. I really think Mitsuha's and Taki's relationship is one of the sweetest and most heartfelt things I've seen in anime in the recent years. I don't know when the movie will be available in the US, but I know there are online streaming sites where you can watch it in full length; though I truly from the bottom of my heart recommend that you watch it in theaters at least once.

Please Review! I need them or I'll starve!


	2. A Little Too Much Sweetness

Chapter 2: Sometimes Too Much Sweetness is Bad for You

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Kimi no Na Wa!**

Mitsuha would say that she has experienced more strange things than the normal person would in their entire lifetime. Becoming the shrine maiden of their local shrine, Miyamizu Jinja, marked the beginning of her rather abnormal life. She, along with her sister Yotsuha, participated in numerous traditional events and ceremonies every year, many of which were passed down generation to generation. They were so ancient in fact, the origin of some had been lost in time, and only the form of the ritual remained. Hardly what an ordinary ten year old girl would do, but she dealt with it as best she could and made it through her primary school days pretty much like any other girl. Yet, that changed when her father decided to go into politics. Shortly after she turned twelve, her father was elected the mayor of their small town, which made her the center of the spotlight throughout her middle school and high school years, not that she received any special treatment or anything of the sort. You could say it was quite the contrary. Frequently, she was subject to rumors and whispers about her father's policies, and even more often she was met with questions about her life as a shrine maiden and the mayor's daughter. To be fair, most of them were harmless questions that sometimes even had her laughing, and she answered them as truthfully and cheerfully as she possibly could, as long as things didn't get really awkward.

Since Mitsuha was little, she always imagined what it was like to live in a vibrant, bustling city like Tokyo. She fantasized about riding the subway to school, going to the karaoke with her fashionable friends and enjoying the sweet blissful taste of cake every afternoon at fancy cafes. So deep was her fantasy that she actually had these queer dreams about living in Tokyo, as a boy her age no less. Ever since those few months, whenever Mitsuha's thoughts strayed, strings of fuzzy images would flash through her mind. People. School. Work. Cakes. Shops. Each time those images appeared, a pang of longing would strike her heart, and she would be left staring up at the star-spangled sky of Itomori, wondering why she felt tears behind her eyes.

Then the comet crash came. To this day she still couldn't wrap her mind around what had happened on the night of the autumn festival. A comet that was whizzing through space at thousands of kilometers per hour split into two as it approached earth, and promptly made a nosedive for the small town of Itomori. Perhaps she should be glad the comet landed there, and not in a big metropolis where thousands of people may have died. However, if it had not been for the truly miraculous events that occurred, the residents of Itomori would most likely have gone down in history as the tragic victims of an improbably disaster, not the god-blessed survivors of an otherwise horrible catastrophe.

Eight years after moving to Tokyo, Mitsuha was convinced that her life had more or less settled down. Perhaps because there were barely any stars to see in night sky of the great city, the images that plagued her for months have all but disappeared. After graduating from a middle-ranked college she found a job as the accountant for a small green energy company. She had a stable income, a sweet little sister who was about graduate high school with flying colors, and several friends with whom she met on a regular basis. Yes, Mitsuha Miyamizu was content with her current life, if only that nagging feeling at the bottom of her heart would go away. It was as if she was always searching for something, something she lost but couldn't remember losing. When she walked the bustling streets of Tokyo, when she passed under the blossoming cherry trees, when she stepped into the crowded subways trains, her eyes would automatically scan the faces of the people around her, just like one would do when searching for someone. The irony was that she didn't even know who she was looking for—

—until that day, when theirs gazes connected.

Mitsuha sighed and swallowed another bite of her strawberry parfait.

"Mitsuh— I mean, Miyamizu-san," the young man named Taki spoke hesitantly. "don't you think you're eating a bit too much...?"

There they were, sitting in front of each other in a small coffee shop, with Mitsuha consuming her third plate of sweets and Taki watching with a growing expression of dismay on his face. When they finally came face to face with each other on that flight of old concrete stairs, for the first time in eight long years, Mitsuha felt complete. Taki. The name rolled off her tongue so easily when she spoke it for the first time, like it was simply sitting in the back of her mind, waiting to be uncovered. Conversation started off with a rather awkward note, as neither knew what to say due to the fact that they were technically strangers. However, they quickly warmed up as they asked more questions concerning their separate lives. Mitsuha now knew that Taki was a student fresh out college, still searching for a job, and aiming to become a city designer. She told him that she worked at a green energy company as accountant, moved to Tokyo eight years ago, and would probably get a thrashing from her boss for missing an entire day without previous notice.

"This really is no big deal, Taki-kun" Mitsuha said, suppressing a smile as she saw Taki's face turned a slight tint of red at the mention of his first name. "You should have seen me the week I graduated from college. The shopkeeper of the café refused to serve me sweets for fear that I might die of a heart attack."

Mitsuha chuckled at the sight of Taki's astonished expression.

"Mitsu— Miyamizu-san, you do realize that sugar contains nearly no nutrients that are necessary for the human body to function, do you?" Taki said, shuddering at the mere thought of so much sugar consumed in such a short span of time.

"Not everything you do is necessary for survival, Taki-kun" Mitsuha retorted. Taki raised an eyebrow skeptically. "For example, do really need electricity and cars and smartphones to live? You can just live the lifestyle our ancestor enjoyed, hunting animals while wearing leaves as garments— "

"My point, Mitsu— Miyamizu-san," Taki interrupted, wrenching his mind away from the image of Mitsuha swinging on vines wearing only leaves. "is that so much sugar intake is definitely detrimental to your health"

"Humph," Mitsuha pouted, "I can take care of own body just fine"

"and on a side note," Taki added, with a serious look plastered on his face. "you'll gain weight if you aren't careful"

"I've always been this heavy since my high school years, with or without sugar. It's you, Taki-kun, who looks like you need to eat more. I don't want to be seen with someone who looks like a twig about to be snapped in half."

"What?!" sputtered Taki indignantly, a faint hint of a blush on his face. If one of his classmates were to see him sitting in a café with Mitsuha...he held back a shudder. "Well that just fine! I don't want to be associated with some weird girl that spends half their salary on cakes and ice cream anyways."

"Is that so, Taki-kun?" said Mitsuha, feigning hurt. "But that didn't seem like the case when you came chasing after me like a lost puppy. Actually, if I didn't know better, I would say you're one of those desperate virgins who chase after a girl just because she looks hot."

"Don't flatter yourself, and stop acting like you're any better! In fact, you even went running in the opposite direction, which is why it took me so long to catch you!"

"I— I didn't" stuttered Mitsuha in embarrassment, and a smug grin took residence on Taki's face.

"I didn't know which way you went, so I thought if I ran around the area I would have a better chance at meeting you!" said the girl defensively, slightly annoyed by Taki's triumphant expression.

"Speaking of that, how can you call yourself a boy when you can't even run faster than a girl wearing _heels_?" Mitsuha retaliated, kicking Taki in the shins under the table.

"Ow! What was that for, you idiot girl with no sense of direction?!"

"That's for making fun of me, of course, creepy stalker!"

"Dimwit!"

"Pervert!"

The two of them glared at each intently, their bodies leaning forward towards the center of the table. Sparks seemed to fly where their gazes met, and they soon were close enough their noses could almost touch.

All of a sudden, the tension that ran through the air vanished. At the same time, they both burst out laughing. Mitsuha clasped her hands over her mouth in a futile attempt to stifle the laughter rolling uncontrollably out of her stomach, while Taki simply gave up and repetitively banged the table. It took them a little more than a minute to finally get their laughing to stop. But when they saw each other's breathless faces a new round of wheezing laughter erupted, leaving both of them panting and aching five minutes later.

"This is really strange, isn't it?" Mitsuha said weakly, her head resting on her arms which were sprawled feebly on the table.

"Yeah, I bet we sounded like two high school students bickering. Man, I miss those days." Taki replied in a hoarse voice, slumped against the back of his chair, still feeling lightheaded with laughter. No words were exchanged for a little while, and the only sounds they could hear were each other's breathing and the faint hum of the fans above.

"I'm glad there aren't any other customers around" remarked Taki in a small voice, curiously surveying the vacant café.

"Of course there aren't. This place won't be open for another hour so. I know the shopkeeper here, so she let us in early" replied Mitsuha, grinning.

"Well, at least no one saw us freak out. God, I haven't laughed like that in a while" Taki released a sigh of contentment, and closed his eyes.

"I guess this is one of the reasons why we're drawn to each other, don't you think so, Taki-kun?"

"I think it's more than that, Mit—Miyamizu-san. This..." Taki struggled to find the right word to describe the feelings they felt for each other. "...link goes beyond mere compatibility"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right"

"Hey, Miyamizu-san." Taki began, slightly glad that he finally managed to say her name properly. "Have you—"

"Mitsuha" the girl muttered. Taki blinked in confusion.

"I'm sorry, what did you say, Miyamizu—"

"Call me Mitsuha. I like it better that way." Mitsuha said.

"Well, that certainly was a waste of time" Taki muttered under his breathe. He cleared his throat, looked away from Mitsuha with a bashful expression, before quietly saying the word dangling on the tip of his tongue.

"Mitsuha,"

"Yes, Taki-kun?"

"There's no need to answer every time I say your name! This is so embarrassing!"

"What were you going to ask me, Taki-kun?" Mitsuha ignored Taki's outburst and inquired innocently.

"You know the place where the Tiamat comet struck eight years ago?" Taki asked, disgruntled.

"Itomori" Sadness seeped into Mitsuha as she thought of the schools, the shrine, and the fields, everything that made up her childhood, reduced to piles of rubble and debris. Initially, she thought that they would move back after a while, when they've finished rebuilding the town, but in the end they never did. Maybe it was because the residents gradually drifted apart, each moving to separate cities and regions, or because they didn't raise enough money to carry out the plan. Whatever the reason, the small lively town that Mitsuha once called home no longer exists.

"Yeah, that's right, Itomori" Taki nodded. "Mitsuha,"

"Yes, Taki-kun?"

"Is there any chance that you've been there before?"

"Why would you want to know?" Instead of answering Taki's question, Mitsuha replied with a question of her own.

"For some reason, ever since I first heard of the comet crash, I've develop a sort of...obsession with Itomori." Taki closed his eyes, thinking about the sketches he drew, all the books he read, and the trip to Itomori that ended up with him sleeping on the barren top of a mountain.

"It was strange. When I saw the pictures of Itomori, there was this feeling that kept gnawing at my head. It made me want to learn more about the town. It made me sad when I saw the shops, the schools and the buildings that had been destroyed by the comet. The best to describe it would be like seeing a place you lived before and vaguely remembering all the memories you had of the place" Taki took a deep breath. "It's actually somewhat similar to what I felt when I saw you today, Mitsuha. Of course, it's nowhere as strong"

"Taki-kun" Mitsuha paused, and gently brushed her fingers over Taki's hand. "I used to live in Itomori."

Taki's eyes widened with surprise at Mitsuha's statement.

"Re— really? I've never met anyone from Itomori before!" Taki exclaimed excitedly. Suddenly, he gasped. "Oh my god, how could I have missed it? Miyamizu Jinja! You're part of the family that took care of the shrine, aren't you, Mitsuha? Maybe you even took part in some of the rituals! Did you learn how to braid threads? Did the shrine maiden really make sake with her _saliva_?" He stood up and grabbed Mitsuha by the shoulders, practically radiating curiosity from his body.

"Slow down, Taki-kun" remarked the girl, taken aback by Taki's eagerness and enthusiasm. "I'll tell you about Itomori, and you sit down and listen without acting like a twelve-year-old who just had ten cups of coffee. Deal?"

Taki nodded and sat back, releasing his hold on Mitsuha's shoulder, making girl exhale in relief. Sudden contact with this boy was not good for her heart.

"Well, Itomori was just you're typical small countryside town. We had electricity and television and gas and water and all that, but it was pretty difficult to find things like restaurants and—"

"Wait," Taki abruptly said.

"Taki-kun, why don't you let me finish before asking question" Mitsuha said, exasperated. "Seriously, you need to stay..."

"I want to hear about your life in Itomori, Mitsuha" said Taki, his voice gentle. It was Mitsuha's turn to act surprise.

"Why?" The question escaped her mouth again before she could stop it.

"Well, one reason is that it'll more interesting from a first person perspective," Taki shrugged nonchalantly, earning him a disapproving stare from the black-haired girl in front him "the other is that I want know more about you, Mitsuha" he added softly.

"You say it's embarrassing to call me by my first name, but I'll have you know that it's even more so hearing you say it like that" Mitsuha mumbled.

Taki laughed merrily.

"I'm still waiting for my story"

"Hasty, aren't you" the girl commented acidly.

"It really depends on the person I'm talking to, if you know what I mean"

"Oh shut up, Mister Cheesy"

"Gladly"

Mitsuha sighed and rubbed her temples. ' _What have I gotten myself into'_ she thought to herself.

"I was a pretty weird girl, even by Itomori's standards." Mitsuha let out a small laugh at the thought of the dances she had to learn as shrine maiden, and the bottles of kuchikamisake she had to make. The latter was truly the most embarrassing thing she had ever done in her life. If she had to name one merit of moving to Tokyo, it would be the fact that she no longer needed to perform the ritual for the whole town to see. Now she only did it in front of Grandma, who insisted on preserving this strange custom.

"But things got a lot stranger when I turned 17, Taki-kun. I started have these dreams about being Tokyo..."

 **10 hours later**

'I am deeply sorry for not showing up at the interview today at 10 o'clock. I was caught up in an urgent and unexpected business, and was occupied until late in the afternoon. Once again, I thank the company for giving me a chance, despite my many shortcomings, and I wish you all a good day'

 _Send_

After hearing the whoosh sound that signified the mail being successfully delivered, Taki placed his phone on the nightstand and crashed facedown into the soft mattresses.

Waves of drowsiness crashed against him, luring him closer and closer towards sleep. He had gone through a long day, though it was probably the happiest he had been since who knows when. The time he spent with Mitsuha flew by so quickly, and before he knew it, they were already saying goodbye at the subway station. As he gazed at her shrinking figure, he wondered when they would meet again and tapped on the newest contact on his phone. 'Miyamiza Mitsuha' it read, with her cellphone and home number entered along with a small motto under her name.

'Remember that you are absolutely unique, just like everyone else!'

"Mitsuha..." Taki muttered. She was funny, and sweet, and kind and many other things Taki would love to find out. The way dimples appeared on her cheeks when she laughed made Taki's heart skip a beat. The slighter teasing manner in which she spoke had him blushing like a high school freshmen.

"Switching bodies..."

' _What a bizarre concept'_ Taki thought to himself, recalling their conversation at the café. ' _I wonder what it's like to be in Mitsuha's body. If it were me, I would never take advantage of the situation and do something indecent. Yeah, I bet she already forgot about that guy anyways..._ "

Just as Taki's conscious sank into the warm arms of slumber, a small trickle of memories surfaced from the deepest pits of his subconscious, and silently wiggled its way into the boy's forming dreams.

Warm comfortable darkness engulfed Taki's senses, allowing his lips to curl into a satisfied smile. This was precisely what he needed, peace and tranquility accompanied by the softest blanket in the house.

"Onee-chan. WAKE UP!"

Apparently, peace and tranquility was nothing short of luxury when your household had a ten-year old girl named Miyamizu Yotsuha.

 **Author's Note: I really don't have the strength to say much more after finishing this chapter. If you've read the summary, you probably know that this story will also be covering the days when Mitsuha and Taki exchanged bodies, since the movie just glossed over the majority of them. Of course the movie is right to do so, because it'll take too much time to animate the entire thing. I just want to expand a little bit on the idea of body switching, so bear with me here.**

 **Please, review. Really, just say something! Anything! Well, not anything. You should try to avoid profanities and meaningless comments. Oh and one more thing. Please write more fanfics about Kimi No Na Wa. I don't know if people just think that the movie's ending was already perfect, or not that many people have watched the movie itself, but this archive needs more stories. Open that your Microsoft Word people, and get writing! It's quite lonely being the only one updating on this archive.**


	3. That Day, I Woke Up a Different Person

Chapter 3: That day, I woke up a completely different person.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that appeared in Kimi no Na Wa.

' _Taki-kun.'_

I stirred in my sleep.

' _Taki-kun.'_

Rays of sunlight showered down on my face, pulling me further and further away from the comforting depths of sleep.

' _Don't you remember me?'_

Who are you? Why do you sound so sad?

' _My name is...Mitsuha!'_

I shot straight up from the futon on which I soundly slept, eyes widen awake with the voice of the girl stilling reverberating through my eardrums. _'Such a strange dream'_ I thought as a strange, soft feeling settle on the place above my heart. It was unlike anything I felt before, both sturdy and soft, like the sort of velvety pillow you hug when trying to fall asleep.

I yawned, eyes squinting to adjust to the dazzling morning rays, and surveyed my surrounding briefly. Confusion flew my mind as I found myself encompassed by an assortment of traditional wooden furniture. The floor, the ceiling, the desk in front of me, and the closet all appeared to be made entirely of wood, which is certainly different from what I remembered my room to be. As I twisted my waist in an attempt to see what was behind me, the pleasant sensation I felt earlier returned. This time, it didn't rest peacefully above my lungs; it asserted its presence by shifting and wobbling around randomly. To put in simpler terms, it jiggled.

My eyes opened fully and stared down intently at the foreign lumps peeking through the loose collar of cotton sleeping gown. With trepidation and a moment's hesitation, I gingerly rested my slender fingers upon them, feeling their soft texture through a layer of clothing. They felt real. Far too real for something in a dream.

I squeezed my newfound plaything once again, this time using slightly more force, and jumped at the tingle which sparked through my brain. It was at that moment that I finally began to realize that the two fleshy mounds were not only part of my body, but judging by their shape and location, they were also the breast of a female. I sat there motionlessly, contemplating the queer situation while further exploring the properties of the pair of unfamiliar, yet surprising comfortable organs.

Then an odd thought struck me. Maybe I was having this dream because I watched porn yesterday. Then again, that was practically every other day...

"Onee-chan what are you doing?"

"This is a little too realistic..." I muttered to myself before registering the words spoken to me. I turned and blinked owlishly at little girl who was standing at the door with her arms crossed.

"Onee-chan?" I repeated, puzzled.

"Are you still dreaming or what? Breakfast's ready! HURRY!" the girl said impatiently, sliding close the door with brutal vigor. I winced at the resounding slam it made. Such a short fuse for such a little person, I thought to myself idly.

I slowly stood up, or at least, I tried to. My body felt weird and out of sync, making my movements jerky and unnatural. I was lighter, shorter and...curvaceous? I stumbled forward and made for the full length mirror standing beside the desk in front of me. I pulled free the strap tying the gown to my waist and allowed it fall into a crumpled heap at my feet while I feasted on the sight of my own body.

My name is Tachibana Taki.

That day, I woke up and found myself in the body of 17 year old girl.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH?!"

Ten minutes have passed, and I managed to calm myself to a certain degree, which allows me to breathe normally without choking on my own spit. Normally there were two stages of a panic attack.

Stage 1: Anticipatory anxiety, or in other words, the panic you feel when you approach a feared situation.

Stage 2: The panic attack itself.

During the past ten minutes, I flew by stage one and jump straight into stage two like an Olympic diver jumping off a ten meter tall diving platform. I paced around the room, muttering to myself and trying to recall anything that may have led to this predicament. In the end, I could only find one argument that sounded even remotely possibly.

"This is a dream." I said to myself firmly, smoothing the wrinkles off of my high school uniform. I nodded to myself confidently and repeated the sentence a few more times like a priest repeating a mantra. I slowly slid open the door and stepped out, carefully taking in the traditional Japanese style architecture that met my eyes. I was surprised at how... old fashioned it was. Having lived in a huge city filled with tall skyscrapers, old wooden structures such as these were few and far between. My hands ghosted over the lines etched in the wooden walls as I traveled down the hallway, approaching the room where voices came floating out.

"ONEE-CHAN! GET— Oh, you're here. Took you long enough." The little girl who came to my room a few minutes ago stared at me with a ladle in her hands. I silently wondered what she was going to do with it if I hadn't woken up. Suddenly her eyes narrowed.

"What were you doing in your room, onee-chan? You haven't combed your hair, you skirt is all wrinkled up, and why in the world is your shirt unbuttoned? Did you forget to do your homework? Are you trying to seduce the teacher into giving you a passing grade by acting slutty?" the little girl demanded, brandishing the ladle in her hands vigorously with each question.

I had no idea how old that my 'sister' was, which sounds strange enough, but if I had to guess I would say she looked about nine or ten. At that age, kids thought that holding hands would get a girl pregnant, assuming that they were even aware of the concept of pregnancy. I, on the other hand, still remained wholly ignorant of the course of human reproduction and firmly believed that I was literally a 'gift from god' to my parents. Even if kids these days were no longer such cute, gullible, creatures, courtesy to the internet and all the filthy information it provided, no ten year old should be able to say the word 'slutty' in her sister's face and act like nothing happened. Yet, the little girl before me was tapping her foot impatiently as if waiting for my answer to her outrageous question.

"Err...No?" I replied, uncertain if this was a normal morning exchange or not.

"Then button it up, onee-chan! Geez!"

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the oddly adorable sight of the little midget of a girl pouting, and if it were not for the bizarre circumstances I was stuck in, I would've definitely grinned.

"I'll do it later. Let's go have some breakfast." I said with a shrug. The little girl sighed and reluctantly shuffled back into what I presumed to be the living room. As I stepped into the room, I was greeted not by the prickly beams of artificial illumination, but the cozy rays of natural sunlight. This place was like something straight out of the Showa period, I thought to myself as I gazed in awe at the presence of flourishing nature right outside of the house. In front of me was a combination of a dining and living room, with a small table set on the floor where the little girl and an old lady sat. Beyond that was the door to the house, which happened to be wide open, allowing sunlight to spill in and me to take in the lovely scene that was the front garden.

One tall, towering tree stood just beyond the porch, its lush green foliage rustling gently in the breeze. A diverse collection of colorful flowers and vegetation thrived at the foot of the tree and alongside the winding stone path that led out to the main road. Birds perched on the branches of the tree and sang merrily, as if announcing the beginning of a fresh new day using their lilting tunes. Sure, Tokyo had its fair share of parks and zoos, but being immersed in nature itself was another thing entirely.

"Mitsuha, don't stand there, breakfast is ready." The old lady spoke, her voice crisp and clear. Given that I was the only one still standing, I could deduce that the name of the owner of this body was 'Mitsuha', which only added to my confusion. Despite sounding vaguely familiar, I don't recall having met a person with the name, and I also had no recollection of the old lady and the small girl who kept calling me 'onee-chan'. Truthfully, I knew that I had the tendency of dreaming while I slept, but never in my seventeen years of life had I experienced anything nearly as vivid and detailed.

I quietly sat down at the table next to the little girl, facing the woman who I presumed was my grandmother, and picked up the bowl and chopsticks on the table. It occurred to me at that moment that I didn't know if they had a routine they followed before meals. Many families say 'Itadakimasu' before digging in, and some Christen households say prayers, and some simply start eating right away. I cast a shifty glance at the girl sitting beside me and found that she was already happily stuffing her mouth full with rice. Expelling a small sigh of relief, I reached out and stuck my chopsticks into the most appetizing dish on the table— the sausages.

When I popped the delicious piece of meat into my mouth, Grandma spoke. "Mitsuha, are you feeling well today?" she said in a kind voice.

I looked at her with, puzzled. I didn't even say anything yet! Was it because of my hair? Perhaps it was something I did that was out of character. I turned my head to look at my 'sister' and discovered that she was staring at my face with an expression of utter disbelief plastered on her own visage. A second later, I followed her line of vision more carefully and saw that she was staring intently at a certain region of my face, namely the mouth area. Oh.

"I feel fine, Grandma" I said, swallowing the sausage, as it suddenly didn't taste that good. "I just thought that the sausage looked ok today, so I wanted to give it a try."

"But you _hated_ sausages! You said you could taste the things that were inside the pig when you eat it! You said there was something called fe—"

"Yotsuha, this is the dining table." Grandma cut in before the girl, Yotusha, was able to finish her sentence. "I'm glad you're becoming less of a picky girl, Mitsuha, but you look slightly...strange today"

"I'm fine, baa-chan, I just didn't sleep well last night" I said with a reassuring smile, and placed some celery into my mouth.

"Well, then you two should better hurry. It's quite late." Grandma said, casting a stern look to both Yotsuha and I.

"It's all because of onee-chan!" Yotsuha remarked, poking in the soft spot just below the ribs with her index finger.

"I was tired, alright?!" I retorted defensively as I retaliated with a jab of my own.

"You were touching your boobs!"

My face turned beet-red as I recalled the electrifying sensation traveling through my body as my hands squeezed down...

"I was not!" I stubbornly denied.

"Yes you were! You also had this really weird expression on your face! Just like right now!"

"I-I..." I stuttered incoherently, feeling my face heat up even more. What is it with girls and blushing?!

"Girls," Grandma interrupted, "I can't listen to the radio like this"

That made the two of us pipe down a little bit.

' _...is Itomori Town Hall, the temperature today is 26 degrees Celsius, and we have a sunny day ahead of us. The mayor election will be held one week from now, make sure to go to the polls and cast your...'_

"Grandma,' Yotsuha said, glancing at the radio. "Is Father coming for dinner today?"

The old woman sighed. "He's probably too busy with all the campaigning he's doing these days. He's a _politician_ now." She said with a tone of disdain and underlying bitterness.

In the meantime, I remained silent while steady putting pieces of food into my mouth. I quickly ran through the entire the situation once again, adding pieces of new data to the picture.

Mitsuha lived with her sister, Yotsuha, and her grandmother in a small town called Itomori. It was probably a modest countryside place far away from Tokyo, with fresh air and old traditional buildings. I had gone on a few trips with my dad to Kyushu and Hokkaido before, but the locations I visited were always swarming with hordes of tourists, destroying whatever relaxing atmosphere the place might've retained. That said, this was the first chanced I had to fully enjoy the refreshing feeling no dust-filled city could provide.

Returning to the previous subject, Mitsuha's father was a politician and running for mayor, a decision Baa-chan apparently did not think too highly of. Also, from Yotsuha's question earlier, it would appear that he was home occasionally at best.

Breakfast continued for another five minutes, the three of us leisurely conversing as we ate. Most of the time, it was Yotsuha who did all the talking, complaining about school and how the boys were obnoxious little brats as if she weren't one herself. Grandma listened, giving a few remarks here and there while I was busying fighting back wave after wave of laughter. That earned me the indignant glare of my ten year old sister who pinched me hard under her the table. Throughout the meal, I didn't touch on the topic of 'Father' again in spite of my curiosity, as it was apparently a somewhat sensitive topic.

"Get going, you two" Grandma said, after we all finished our food.

"I could do the dishes, baa-chan" I offered. The old woman smiled.

"Maybe tomorrow, Mitsuha. I don't want to be used as an excuse for your tardiness." She chuckled and took another sip of her tea.

"Already, bye, baa-chan"

I shrugged, and slung my backpack around my shoulders. Yotsuha had already put on her shoes and was glaring at me with that impatient stare of hers as she stood at the porch.

"Have a nice day, both of you." Grandma said while stacking the used plates on top of each other.

I turned around and gave her a subtle smile. It had been such a long time since I had a breakfast like this one. Back in Tokyo, I either scavenged leftovers from the fridge or simply went to the school cafeteria for a sandwich, as it was far more convenient than making the meal yourself. However, the cozy feeling that I felt at the dining table made a pang of jealousy run through my mind, a feeling I never imagined I would feel toward a girl living in the countryside.

"Oh and one more thing, Mitsuha." Grandma suddenly said.

I tilted my head inquiringly, one foot already on the stone path.

"Your...ahem, cleavage is showing." The elderly woman said with a teasing voice unbefitting of her age.

I cursed under breath as I whipped my head around and hastily buttoned up the loose buttons on the front of my shirt. I could already feel another blush blooming on my cheeks while I stomped down the road behind Yotsuha.

"You should get your hairy tidied up, onee-chan. It looks like a bird's nest." Yotsuha commented as we descended a flight of stairs.

"I think it's just fine like this" I retorted, absentmindedly fiddling the scarlet ribbon in my pockets.

"Whatever suits you, I guess. Well, study hard." Yotsuha said, and made a right turn. As I also turned to follow her, she raised an eyebrow.

"You see...I kind of forgot how to get the school" I said with a fake chuckle.

Yotsuha gave me a long, hard look.

"You are really, I mean REALLY weird today, onee-chan" she reiterated.

"Don't worry, Yotsuha. I'm sure a good night's sleep is all I need." I promised.

My little sister sighed and walked up to me. She spun me around with her hands and pointed at a road heading downhills toward the eastern part of town.

"I certainly hope that's true. I don't think I can take another day of this." She muttered to herself. "Just go down that road and you'll see it."

"Thanks, Yotsuha. See you back home" I said, walking down toward the road.

"Take care, onee-chan!"

"I will!"

"I mean if you don't feel well, go to the infirmary or—"

"I know! Have fun at school! Make friends with the boys!"

"Never!"

I casually strolled down the road, taking in the beautiful view of the rising sun kissing the summit of the misty mountains that surrounded Itomori. The lake around which the town was raveled around glistened in a diamond-like fashion as sunlight bounced of its glossy surface. There was no rattling of trains, no rumbling of cars and trucks, only the lively buzz of nature accompanied by the occasional voices of early-waking villagers greeting each other.

I bathed in the atmosphere, feeling my spirits soar in the presence of such serenity, and took a deep breath. The chilly morning air coursed through my lungs, washing away the last vestiges of drowsiness.

After being subject to the hustle and bustle in Tokyo for so many years, the slow and leisure pace of Itomori brought about some much needed relaxation for my mind, in spite of the hectic experience I woke up to.

Yet, regardless of where you are, there are simply some things that don't change. Such as that friend who always likes to smack you as greeting instead of just saying hello like a normal person.

"Hah! Gotcha this time, Mitsuha!" a jolly male voice rang trough my ears as I stumbled forward from the force applied to the back of my skull. In my peripheral vision, I saw a bike skid to stop just in front me and a pair of worn leather shoes.

That moment, I didn't consider the fact Mitsuha might be friends with the guy, or that it was just a harmless, if slightly painful, gesture. I was furious that this person shoved me out my trance and I snapped my head back up, the words rolling out my before I could stop them.

"What do you think you're doing, DOUCHEBAG?!"

 _Ahh...shit._

Author's Note: Well, honestly speaking, I was planning on fitting the entire first day into one chapter, but it kind of grew and I ended up having to split it into two chapters. Now, let me be honest to you guys. I have no idea when the next chapter is coming out. If I have the time, which is highly unlikely for the future two months, I might have one more chapter coming before February.

Of course, as usual, please review and tell me if you liked this story or not and how I can make it better. I'm glad to see that the archive has grown slightly, but it's not nearly enough! I hope we can get to forty stories before 2017. Come on, guys, you can do it!


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